Background: Two cultivars (Balady and Dukat) of dill plants were grown in the Experimental Farm Station of Agriculture Faculty, Cairo University, during two seasons of 2014/2015 and 2015/2016. This investigation aims to determine the response of two dill cultivars to seven fertilizer treatments, i.e., control, 100% mineral fertilizer, 100% biofertilizer, 100% organic fertilizer, 50% organic fertilizer, 100% organic fertilizer with biofertilizer, and 50% organic fertilizer with biofertilizer. Data on plant height, leaf number, and some chemical composition such as antioxidant and nitrate accumulation were recorded in the vegetative growth stage. Results: The results demonstrated that dill cv. Dukat gave the highest plants (cm), maximum leaf number per plant, pigment content (mg/g), total carbohydrates (%), nitrogen, and phosphorus percentages in the vegetative growth stage. Meanwhile, dill cv. Balady recorded the maximum potassium percentage and low content of nitrate accumulation (mg/kg) in the vegetative growth stage. Both dill cultivars contained antioxidants without significant differences between them. The best fertilization treatments were 100% organic fertilization with biofertilizer and 100% chemical fertilizer for plant height (cm), leaf number per plant, pigment content, antioxidant percentage, total carbohydrate percentage, and N and P percentages of two dill genotypes. On the other hand, 50% organic fertilization with biofertilizers was recorded as the best treatment for nitrate accumulation and K percentage with two dill cultivars. Conclusion: These results prove that chemical fertilizers could be completely replaced by organic sources supplemented by NPK Symbion without any negative effect on dill vegetative growth and or nutrient contents.

This investigation was performed at the nursery of Horticulture Research Institute, Giza throughout two successive seasons (2007/2008 and 2008/2009) with the aim of investigating the possibility of using grafting for the propagation of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L. and Hibiscus syriacus L. plants of good quality. Different types of cleft grafting were carried out by using different scion of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis cultivars Fire Truck, Charles September, Miss Kitty, Cane Fire, Cooperi, and two scions for Hibiscus syriacus 'Alba and Blue' for grafting two Hibiscus rootstock cultivars Fire Truck and Apple Blossom in both seasons. The results emphasized that 'Fire Truck' stock was the best in improving most of plant traits in both seasons, when compared with those obtained from the other stocks used 'Apple Blossom'. It increased survival percentage, the length/scion, number of main branches/scion, stem diameter and fresh weight of newly established plants, besides the improvement of some chemical constituents of the plant, as it increased total chlorophylls and carbohydrates content in the leaves, in addition to decreasing leaf phenol content.Scion cultivars also differed in their effects on the above mentioned traits. 'Cooperi' and 'Fire Truck' scions were the best in most cases for improving most plant traits as they increased survival percentage, the length/scion stem diameter and fresh weight of newly established plants. Meanwhile, the number of main branches/plant increased as a result of using 'Cooperi' scion in grafting whereas a decrement on the registered values was detected in most cases due to using 'Miss Kitty' scion. Similarly, an improvement on chemical constituents of the plant was also observed due to using Fire Truck' scion followed by that of either 'Charles September' or 'Cooperi' scion as they increased leaf total chlorophylls and total carbohydrates contents, besides their decrement effect on phenols content in leaves. In contrast, undesirable effects were observed in most cases on chemical constituents of the plant due to using 'Miss Kitty' scion in grafting.The interactions revealed the superiority of the combined effect between 'Fire Truck' as a rootstock and either 'Cooperi' or 'Fire Truck' scions in improving most plant traits studied. Also, using Fire Truck cv. as a rootstock with using the same cv. as a scion or 'Charles September' scion had a marked effect in elevating the total chlorophyll and total carbohydrate contents in leaves.From the aforementioned results, it could be recommended to use 'Fire Truck' as a rootstock with using the same cultivar or 'Cooperi' as a scion.

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This experiment was carried out in the laboratory of Ornamental Plants and Woody Trees Department at the National Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt, during two successive seasons (2008 and 2009) to investigate the effect of some chemical preservative solutions such as 8hydroxyquinoline sulphate (8-HQS) alone or with sucrose or benzyl adenine (BA), or gibberellic acid (GA 3 )), citric acid, alone or with sucrose and silver thiosulphate (STS) alone or with sucrose. Also, aluminum sulphate [Al 2 (SO 4 ) 3 ] alone or with BA or GA 3 , in addition to the control (distilled water) on vase life. and maximum increase in fresh weight i.e as keeping quality and change in fresh weight and water balance of carnation Dianthus caryophyllus cv."Felice" cut flowers.Using solution of (300 ppm 8-HQS+40g/l sucrose) and (0.4mM STS +50 g/l sucrose) significantly increased vase life and maximum increase in fresh weight compared with control (distilled water). Pulsing carnation cut flowers in 50 ppm GA 3 for 24h. then placed in 200 ppm Al 2 (SO 4 ) 3 showed the highest values of increase in fresh weight % after 12 days in the 2 nd season (12.63%). The highest level of water balance was recorded at 12 th days by using 50 ppm of GA 3 for 24 h. then placed in Al 2 (SO 4 ) 3 in the 2 nd season.